Vermont's Act 60 is arguably the most equitable school funding system in the nation. However, it is also one of the most controversial. The disputes are primarily focused on the recapture provision that sends excess revenues from property-rich towns to the state's education trust fund. After a 4-year implementation period, the system is now in its…

This report estimates that state tax revenue grew 8.7 percent from fiscal year 1999 to fiscal year 2000. If adjusted for the effects of legislated tax changes, state revenue growth would have been an even stronger 9.4 percent. This is by far the highest adjusted or unadjusted annual growth ever recorded by the Rockefeller Institute. When inflation…

The current Illinois school finance formula fails to bring very wealthy districts within acceptable equalization bounds. Manipulating tax rates of wealthy and other districts is unacceptable or financially unfeasible. This paper proposes a two-stage process requiring state equalization at the county level, followed by equalization within each…

This document provides summary statistics for public community and technical colleges in Texas. It is divided into two sections. Section 1 contains comparative financial data for all public community and technical college districts and systems, including tax base, collections and total assessed tax rates; total education and general fund…

Actual financial data from audit reports on county education districts (CEDs) are presented as required by the Texas Education Code. In summary, it is noted that the CEDs generally fulfilled their obligations relative to collection and distributions of taxes; and that administrative expenditures were not excessive and the amount of delinquent…

This monograph on charter schools and reform contains four chapters. The first chapter ("The Unfinished Goal and the Role of Interest Groups") discusses the history of the charter movement, its role, benefits, shortcomings, and the opposition to the movement from teacher unions. Charter schools have attracted support across the political spectrum…

Vermont's Act 60 received national attention not only because of the controversy surrounding the sharing pool (or recapture provision) but also because of its "potential for being the most equitable system in the country." For fiscal years 1998 to 2001, tax rates have become more equitable, and a direct relationship has appeared between…